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Common Name: Cabbage Tree

General Information

Cordyline australis is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

New Zealand - North, South and Stewart Islands.

Habitat

Forest margins and open places. Abundant near swamps[], they can also be found on dry, windy hill slopes[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a good sandy loam rich in humus[]. Succeeds in full sun or light shade[]. A very wind hardy plant, tolerating maritime exposure[, ].
A very ornamental plant[], it is not very cold-hardy, tolerating short-lived lows down to about -10°c[]. It only succeeds outdoors in the milder areas of Britain[, , ]. It grows very well in Cornwall where it often self-sows[, , ]. A form with purplish leaves is hardier than the type and succeeds outdoors in Gloucestershire[].
The flowers have a delicious sweet scent that pervades the air to a considerable distance[].
The tree has a strong tap root[].
Mice often kill young plants by eating out the pith of the stem[].

Edible Uses

Root - baked[, , , ]. It can also be brewed into an intoxicating drink[].
Pith of the trunk - dried and steamed until soft[]. Sweet and starchy, it is used to make porridge or a sweet drink[].
The root and stems are rich in fructose, the yields compare favourably with sugar beet (Beta vulgaris altissima)[].
Edible shoots - a cabbage substitute[, , ]. The leaves are very fibrous even when young, we would not fancy eating them[]. The leaves are either cut up into small pieces or cooked for a long time in order to make them easier to eat[].

Medicinal

A tea made from the leaves has been used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery[].

Other Uses

The leaves contain saponins, but not in commercial quantities[].
The leaves contain a strong fibre, used for making paper, twine, cloth, baskets, thatching, rain capes etc[, , , , , ]. The whole leaves would be used for some of these applications. When used for making paper, the leaves are harvested in summer, they are scraped to remove the outer skin and are then soaked in water for 24 hours prior to cooking[].
The plants have strong tap roots and are useful for stopping soil slip on steep slopes and for planting along the banks of streams to stabilize them[].
The leaves have been used as kindling for starting fires[].
The stems are so fire resistant that they have been hollowed out and used as chimneys[].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for about 10 minutes in warm water and sow in late winter to early spring in a warm greenhouse[, ]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 25°c[]. There is usually a good percentage germination[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts and give the plants some protection in their first winter outdoors[].
Stem cuttings - cut off the main stem just below the head and then saw off 5cm thick blocks of stem and place them 3cm deep in pure peat in a heated frame. Keep them moist until they are rooting well, then pot them up into individual pots. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Suckers. These are best removed in early spring and planted out in situ. Protect the division from wind and cold weather and do not allow the soil to become dry until the plant is established. Divisions can also be potted up and grown on until established, planting them out in the summer.